About

$12,282

pledged of $10,000 goal

842

backers

Additional $10 Tier Rewards Added:

-High-resolution Olympia Rising wallpaper, a generous set of pixel/Olympia Rising themed icons (free to use anywhere), and your name engraved on the Underworldy Monument of Heroes in-game! You get all of this alongside the DRM-free digital copy of the game and the original soundtrack.

NEW $50 Tier Added:

- A $50 pledge will get you into the final game as a lovable townsperson! We'll craft a character in your likeness to populate one of Olympia Rising's Ancient Greek cities. You may be working as a pottery merchant, or a lively goat herder - either way, you'll be part of the game world for all eternity! (Note: this reward is exclusive to the $50 tier - meaning if you pledge a higher amount, you aren't eligible for this reward unless you select it when pledging.)

— — —

Platforms: Olympia Rising will be available for PC, Mac, Linux, and Steam (if Greenlit)

ABOUT THE DEMO: The demo is a partially complete tour of some of the highlights of the game. It includes one spell, several capabilities, and a handful of levels - enough to let you see where we’re headed. We expect that with the funds and future feedback of our beta testers, this core version will improve dramatically.

The Underworld is a realm of dread and misery. Spirits wander aimlessly with no purpose. Every hundred years, the Underworld is purged with a terrible flood of acid and bile. Aimed to punish the restless spirits, this torrent of acidic filth, conjured by Hades, washes over the entirety of the Underworld. However, there is one place that is safe from this punishment. Those who have proven themselves as heroes in the world of the living are given eternal rest in the Asphodel Fields - an island paradise separate from Hades' domain.

A young hero named Iola resides in the Asphodel Fields, and her peaceful slumber is unexpectedly ended when scattered memories of her past life begin returning to her. It is said that it is possible to escape from the Underworld during the time of the purge, but no one has ever actually managed to achieve such a feat. Aware of the danger that will surely stand in her way, Iola attempts this fabled climb in hopes of reaching Mount Olympus, where Zeus, the all-knowing King of the Gods, might have the answers to her strange reawakening.

— — —

Olympia Rising is a 2-D action-adventure video game in which the player controls Iola as she navigates through the many different regions of the Underworld. Lush pixel graphics and fluid animation bring this 16-bit styled world to life as you jump, climb, slash, and blast your way through each stage.

Fight your way through the Underworld, battling creatures of all shapes and sizes. Fast-paced aerial combat propels you upward as you slash enemies to bits with your blade or incinerate them with powerful magic.

Navigate through deadly environments with fluid maneuverability. Make your own paths as you traverse through each stage looking for the most efficient way to climb to the top.

Simple to pick-up but difficult to master, Olympia Rising awards those willing to challenge themselves as they climb through the Underworld. Players must collect coins and other treasures scattered throughout the levels as they race through each stage. To continue onward, you must pay Charon the Ferryman at the end of each stage with the treasure you've collected.

The Underworld in Olympia Rising is composed of different regions. The map below outlines the path Iola must take to reach Mount Olympus.

Each stage is a unique, twisted environment composed of multiple levels that offer varied challenges to overcome. The stages become more dangerous and difficult as you progress upwards.

— — —

Joe Jeremiah is a talented young keyboardist, musician, and video maker who is currently gaining a loyal following via YouTube. As of now, Joe is best known for his YouTube series, "A-Bit of 8-Bit" which takes a wide range of music and transforms it into a retro 8-bit style. The series has gained Joe a worldwide audience numbering in the tens of thousands and has earned him millions of views.

He will be composing Olympia Rising's soundtrack and all the accompanying sound effects. Below are two sample tracks created by Joe for the game.

Memories in Violet

The Purge of Hades

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— — —

A "Thank You" (and some well-deserved credit)

Every penny counts, and we want you to know that. We'll send you a "thank you" email, along with access to all backer-only updates. We'll also be sure to include your name in the game's ending credits so the world can know that this project wouldn't have been possible without your generous contribution!

The Game

All copies of the game will be distributed upon release. Planned platforms for release are Windows, Linux, Mac, and Steam (if Greenlit). All backers of $5 or more will receive the DRM-free download of the game for the platform of their choosing.

The Soundtrack

Every track in the game compiled into a single album for your listening enjoyment. Composed by the talented Joe Jeremiah, this 8-bit style sound won't fail to please. Pretend you're fighting demonic creatures as you blast your favorite track from your preferred music-listening device. $10 or more will net you a digital download of the complete soundtrack.

The Manual Booklet

Remember when games were paired with a manual chock full of interesting information, character back-stories, tips, custom artwork, hidden Easter eggs, and more? We do, and we want to share that same experience with our backers. $20 will earn you the PDF version while $100 will earn you the special physical copy edition (as well as a personal sketch of one of the many characters from the game) with even more exclusive content.

Beta Testing

Interested in playing early builds of the game as it's being developed? Backers who pledge $30 or more will be given access to beta testing. Play the game and test out new features, locations, enemies, and more, and then feel free to gives us your feedback.

The T-Shirt

Backers that pledge $40 or more will receive an official Olympia Rising t-shirt. The latest in Ancient Greek apparel, this shirt will surely set you apart from the crowd.

The Townsperson

A $50 pledge will get you into the final game as a lovable townsperson! We'll craft a character in your likeness to populate one of Olympia Rising's Ancient Greek cities. You may be working as a pottery merchant, or a lively goat herder - either way, you'll be part of the game world for all eternity! (Note: this reward is exclusive to the $50 tier - meaning if you pledge a higher amount, you aren't eligible for this reward unless you select it when pledging.)

The Limited Edition Poster

Those who choose to pledge $75 or more will receive a limited edition running of our special Olympia Rising poster print. There will only be 25 of these, so grab one while you can! Each poster will come with a personal "thank you" message on the back.

The Pixel Portrait

Have you always wondered how cool you'd look as a 32x32 animated pixel portrait? Backers that pledge $150 or more won't have to wonder anymore, as they will be rewarded with a pixel portrait of their very own physical likeness. This custom made portrait will be displayed in the game's credits, and will also be emailed to the respective backer to be used for anything they like. If the project is funded, we will be contacting these special backers requesting a picture for reference.

The Vengeful Spirit

Ever had the urge to be a soulless, wandering spirit floating through the Realm of Hades? Pledging $250 or more will bring about the manifestation of your spirit-self in the actual game! Specify a unique idle animation for your personalized spirit (crafted in your pixel likeness) and you'll soon be cutting yourself into ribbons as Iola in-game.

Design an Enemy

Contribute directly to the game and help design a unique, in-game enemy to inhabit the Underworld. Backer's that pledge the exceedingly generous $500 or more will be given the opportunity to work with us in creating an enemy - influencing its origin, physical appearance, movement, and more.

— — —

PALEOZOIC is a brand new game studio. Its goal is to build video games that put emotion and storytelling back into retro-styled action games.

So, who's working on this project?

— — —

Why Kickstarter?

Game development is a ton of work, requiring a huge time investment from multiple people. In order to create a game with the level of content and polish we envision, we need support from backers like you! With the additional funding, we'll be able to add a plethora of new creatures, environments, characters, and more to our existing progress and create a fully realized world.

Risks and challenges

Developing a game is an immense creative effort, requiring many hours of planning, programming, and designing. Nevertheless, we are 100% confident that we have all of the necessary skills to finish this project and create a fantastic game.

We have already planned a great deal of Olympia Rising at this stage, and we have a clear direction as to where the the project needs to progress from here. However, as any game development team knows, there's always the chance we'll hit a bump or two during the creative process. But as passionate as we are about this project being successful (and delivering the final product to all of our backers), we will do our absolute best in overcoming any issues that arise.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5 or more
About $5

$5 & a Tweet sharing the Kickstarter will net you one of three exclusive Olympia Rising pixel icons that you can show off to Gods and Peasants alike. DRM-free, digital download of the finished game is also included. If you've previously pledged $5, simply switch to this tier and Tweet to earn this special reward.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $30 or more
About $30

All above rewards, plus access to
beta testing. Play early builds of the game as it's being developed and tell us what you think! You will also be featured in the game’s credits as a valuable (nearly god-like) tester.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $50 or more
About $50

All above rewards, plus you get to be a townsperson in-game! We'll craft a character in your likeness to populate one of Olympia Rising's Ancient Greek cities. You may be working as a pottery merchant, or a lively goat herder - either way, you'll be embedded in the game world till the end of time. Not even the Greek Gods can exist in two different dimensions at the same time!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $100 or more
About $100

All above rewards (excluding the
poster), plus a physical
copy of the game manual
containing exclusive content not
found in the PDF version. You’ll
also receive a small, personal sketch
of one of the characters from the
game. Ares might wage a war
to get his hands on one of these...

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $150 or more
About $150

All above rewards (excluding the
poster), and an animated pixel
portrait in your likeness. Your
personal portrait will be showcased
in the game's credits, and you will
also be sent the image via email
to use for whatever you’d like.
These one-of-a-kind portraits are
crafted under the watchful
eyes of Hephaestus to maintain
quality control.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $250 or more
About $250

All above rewards (excluding the poster), plus you get to become an in-game enemy. All those vengeful spirits roaming the Underworld used to be living people. Who’s to say they weren't you in a past life? Specify a unique idle animation for your personalized dead-spirit self (crafted in your 16-bit likeness) and you’ll soon be watching Iola slice you in two!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $500 or more
About $500

All above rewards (excluding the poster), plus the opportunity to help design an underworldy enemy for Iola to encounter. Help design its look, the way it behaves, and its origin. Basically, you get Hades’ job as minion creator.